The Promise of Forever
by Akiko Natsuko
Summary: Makoto has left his gift shopping to the last minute after being buried in exams and revision for the last few weeks, and he's at a loss as to what to buy Haru.


Makoto heaved a sigh of relief as he set down his pen, quickly scanning the answer he had just finished writing before closing the book. Done. He was done. Exams had only been on for the last three weeks, but it felt like much longer, his entire life consumed by revising and exams, even with Christmas fast approaching and now as he handed the paper over it felt like he could breathe for the first time in weeks. There was still a faint trace of the terror that had kept him glued to his books every night for the past few weeks, only now it was for the results he would have to wait for, and he resolutely pushed that thought away. He was reasonably confident that he had done okay, and even if he hadn't, there was nothing he could do about it now, and there was no way he was going to ruin their first Christmas at University by fretting constantly.

Christmas.

It felt like a fog had cleared from his thoughts, and Makoto blanched, halting in the middle of stuffing his pens back into his bag. Christmas was barely a week away. He had been conscious of that fact, it was hard to miss when Haru who had been fortunate to finish his exams in the first week had decorated their shared dorm, making their tiny space festive while Makoto had stressed and fretted.

And forgot all about his Christmas shopping.

Well, no, that wasn't entirely true as he had made sure to buy his family's gifts before Exams had even been on the horizon, knowing that Ran and Ren wouldn't forgive him if he had forgotten. Besides, he'd needed time to make sure that they would arrive in time after he and Haru and decided to stay at University for their first Christmas. He'd had a look for Haru's gift at the time, but he hadn't found anything that called to him, and he had left it be, telling himself that he would have plenty of time to think of something perfect for Haru.

And he'd kept telling himself that.

And now…

Muttering under his breath, he grabbed his bag and hurried out of the room, barely remembering to wave and shout a farewell over his shoulder at his classmates. He knew that he a few more days, but Nagisa and Rei had been threatening to descend on them as soon as they were done with exams, and Rin was stopping by on his way back to Iwatobi for Christmas and Makoto knew that as soon as that happened his time would just trickle away. Today at least he had nothing else on, well besides stopping off somewhere to grab dinner for them, as they had agreed to splurge a little to celebrate being done. Thinking of that reminded him that he hadn't managed to get a straight answer out of Haru about what he wanted for food, and he fished in his pocket for his phone as he headed for the bus stop.

He had barely managed to turn it on before it started ringing in his hand, and he nearly dropped it, jumping like a startled cat. Seeing Haru's name flashing up on the screen he smiled, remembering all the times that Nagisa had accused them of being psychically linked as he hit answer.

"Hello, Haru-Chan."

"_How did it go?"_ Haru didn't waste time on a greeting, and Makoto chuckled, it was something he had never managed to get Haru to do. Just as he had never managed to convince Haru to take his baths earlier, they were both still nearly late to class on most days, their habits unchanged since school, even though they had more distance to travel.

"Better than I thought," Makoto admitted, realising that Haru was waiting for an answer and touched that Haru had actually paid enough attention to known when his exam was going to finish. Although he had worried so much about this last exam, that his boyfriend was probably sick of hearing it and was ringing up just to make sure that it was over.

"_Are you coming home?"_

_Home._ Makoto had thought that being at University, and living away from the houses that they had grown up with and spent numerous nights having sleepovers at would change things. It had taken him a month to realise that the reason he felt just at home in their dorm, as he had in his childhood home, was because Haru was there. Haru hadn't said anything to him, but Makoto had caught the tail end of his conversation with his parents about the holidays and still smiled as he remembered how Haru had told them that he was already spending Christmas with family and that they didn't need to worry about him being lonely.

It made finding the perfect present that much more important, and…

"_Makoto? Makoto?"_

"Sorry Haru," Makoto coloured, glad that his boyfriend couldn't see him. "I was thinking." Silence followed, and he knew that Haru was waiting for him to explain, to ramble at him as he always did when he was worried about something and swallowing he hastily tried to gather his thoughts, knowing that Haru would hear any hint of a lie in his words. "I'll be home in a little while, I'm just going to go to the shops first, and I was also wondering what you wanted for dinner?" Silence again, but this was thoughtful and realising what Haru was going to say, he headed him off, fond exasperation in each word. "And don't just say Mackerel." He laughed at Haru's offended huff, and waited, scanning the road to see if the bus was coming.

"_Surprise me,_" Haru replied eventually, and Makoto smiled, hearing the pout in his words. He knew that he would probably pick up Mackerel of some form or the other for his boyfriend, but he decided not to tell him that. It would be worth it just to see the pout shift into the small smile that had become a more frequent occurrence since Haru had found his path, and he smiled at the thought of it before he finally spotted the bus and straightened.

"Alright Haru-chan," he murmured, knowing that Haru would hear the smile in his voice. Just as he could always tell when something was wrong just from his voice. "The bus is coming, so I'm going to go, but I'll be home soon."

"_Okay."_

The call ended as abruptly as it had become, but Makoto didn't mind. Just the fact that Haru had been the one to call him was a sign of how far they had come, and he was in high spirits as he got onto the bus. At least until he had claimed a seat and realised that he was still no closer to knowing what to buy Haru, and he groaned, burying his head in his hands.

What should he buy?

The shops had everything you could possibly want. If you were shopping for most people, but Haru had always been different. Makoto could remember when they were younger, how he would show up to see Haru and show off his new toys, usually whatever was popular at the time and had caught his eye. Haru's interest in them had started and ended at the fact that Makoto liked them, and while he would sit there and listen to Makoto chattering away with a smile, he never wanted to play with them. And he had never asked for them either, his room largely devoid of toys apart from soft toys and the odd treasured gift from his grandmother.

Makoto was dispirited after he wandered out of the twelfth shop in a row, still empty handed, apart from a box of chocolates he had picked up for them to share. What did you buy someone whose first love was water? Who always seemed to love what Makoto got him, and yet showed no real interest in material gifts. He was fairly sure that Haru had got rid of most of the gifts he'd been given the year before, apart from the photo-album that Makoto had compiled for him. One that ranged from when they had first met as children right through to graduation when they had stood side by side in front of the school, grinning, well Makoto had been grinning as they waved their certificates in the air. Haru treasured that book, but Makoto couldn't repeat it, which meant he had to find something to match it and he was running on empty.

There were always things he could get Haru, some more art supplies as he knew that Haru was running out of paint and he had been on the last few pages of his sketchpad when Makoto had last checked, but his parents tended to go for that option. He knew that his mother had got Haru a new hat and scarf for winter so that he didn't have to worry about Haru getting cold. He could get him another plushie, but there was barely enough room in their bed anyway, and Haru always looked so offended when he woke up to find Makoto either crushing them or hugging them rather than him. Everything else that popped into his head had the same issues, and Makoto was despairing as he made a beeline for their favourite takeaway, knowing that if he didn't go back soon then, Haru would start to worry.

He ended up buying mostly Mackerel dishes, feeling guilty for having left his gift buying so late and for not having a clue what to get. Maybe he could probe while they ate? Haru always cottoned on when he did that, although maybe getting his favourite food would soften him up? It was all that Makoto had at the moment.

It was getting dark by the time he finally made it home, shivering slightly as he ran up the stairs. The light was on under the door though, and he smiled, forgetting his worry for a moment at the thought of being able to spend time with Haru and not having to worry about his exams, fumbling with his key in his haste to get inside.

"Haru-chan, I'm home," he called as he stepped inside, toeing off his shoes, balancing against the wall and he nearly leapt out of his skin as warm arms slipped around him in a hug from behind. "Haru!" It was more squeak than anything, and he coloured, before twisting his head to peer down at Haru, surprised by the open affection. Haru had got a lot better at showing his emotions, especially with Makoto, but it was still rare that he would initiate things. "Is everything okay?" He asked, worried that maybe he had missed something while he was distracted with examples.

"I've missed you," Haru replied simply, resting his head in the middle of Makoto's back for a moment before pulling back, moving to step away when Makoto turned and reached for him, pulling him back into a proper hug, letting the bag with their dinner slip to the ground beside them. Haru was pliant in his arms, curling close and Makoto let his head rest against Haru's. He had missed this too he realised, appalled to realise that he couldn't remember the last time they had done this, he had been spending so much time at the library, crawling back late at night and just falling into bed next to Haru and breakfast had been a rushed affair, both needing to get to class.

"I missed you too," he murmured, blinking back sudden tears. Haru looked at him, blue eyes shimmering and more open than he could ever remember them being, and he swallowed before leaning down to kiss him, smiling when Haru met him halfway. The two of them melding together with the ease of best friends and lovers rolled into one. It was chaste, a reminder that they were together, and it was as they pulled back that Makoto was hit with the epiphany of what to buy.

No, it wasn't that it was a new idea. He'd been toying with it for a long time, letting it simmer at the back of his mind, waiting for the right time. But now it was there, with a clarity that was almost frightening, and he must have made a sound because Haru was staring at him in concern.

"It's nothing," he murmured, smiling, heaving an internal sigh of relief when Haru seemed to accept the lie with a small nod. Although that might have been because he had just spotted the bag of food that Makoto had brought, and Makoto watched with a fond smile as his boyfriend released him in favour of diving for it, rummaging inside, the small smile he loved so much making a brief appearance when Haru realised he'd bought his favourites.

He hoped that he would see that smile again on Christmas day.

Makoto had been sure that he would be the first one up on Christmas days, nerves getting the better of him, but instead, he had been roused by Haru gently but insistently shaking him awake, and he was startled to realise they had both slept in. He let Haru have his normal morning bath while he cooked breakfast, texting his mother to let her know he would call later and anxiously checking that the blue bag was still under the tree, not that it would be anywhere else.

They ate breakfast snuggled together on the couch, before finally opening their presents, working through the ones from friends and family first. Rei and Nagisa had held true to their threat and visited two days ago, leaving gifts, and they were both touched to find a new swim team hoodie with their names on in each parcel. The team had grown since they'd graduated, but they'd both taken the time to visit and meet everyone…or Makoto had, while Haru had been more interested in diving into the water with Gou yelling at him the entire time. Rin had visited as well giving them sweets and a ton of photos from Australia, along with an invitation to come and visit him, and Makoto knew that Haru's card must have included a challenge as his boyfriend's eyes had sparkled as they always did with the thought of challenging their friend.

The gifts from their family ranged from practical, more stuff for cooking from Makoto's parents who were determined to get Haru to cook something other than fish, as well as the scarf and hat that his mother had promised, to more sentimental things, including tickets for them to both go home in the New Year. Makoto laughed at the blatant hint, and Haru's lips had twitched.

Then they had exchanged their own gifts. They'd both got a few silly little things, both laughing as they traded plushies despite the fact they had agreed they couldn't fit more in the bed, a book that Makoto had been wanting to read for months but hadn't had time, some new art supplies for Haru which Makoto had grabbed after all.

Then had come the main presents.

Makoto tearing up as he unwrapped a box that held a small tank and everything that was needed to set it up, along with a note, beautifully illustrated in Haru's distinctive style promising him a trip to the pet shop after Christmas. "You missed having fish," Haru muttered, cheeks slightly pink when Makoto hugged him, sniffling and smiling at the same time. "And the tank is small enough that we can hide it during inspections, and…" Makoto silenced him with a kiss, touched that Haru had noticed how much he had been missing the goldfish at home and that he had actually thought about the potential problems. It certainly had nothing to do with wanting to delay his own gift giving.

However, he could only delay for so long, and when Haru pulled back, he swallowed, gathering his courage, helped by a quick glance at his own present which reassured him that he was doing the right thing. That it was time. Still, his hands were trembling as he reached for the bag and passed it to Haru who accepted it without hesitation, glancing at Makoto curiously as he felt the tremors as their fingers brushed. Makoto managed a smile to reassure him, and after a moment of studying him Haru carefully opened the bag and lifted out the small box inside, blue eyes widening as he examined it.

"It's not…" Makoto squeaked, suddenly worried about overwhelming Haru, blushing at the noise he'd made before squaring his shoulders. "It's a promise," he explained, breath catching as Haru slowly opened the box, watching carefully for his reaction. Haru's face was blank, but his eyes were shimmering as he reached for the ring nestled in the box. It had taken Makoto two afternoons of 'running errands' and visiting nearly every jeweller he'd found online, to find a ring that was perfect and affordable for students. It was probably too delicate for Haru, and with his nerves threatening to overcome him again, Makoto began to second guess his choice. The silver Dolphin twisted into a ring had seemed perfect, and it had been the most robust one he had seen, but maybe…he looked up again, not realising he had looked away and froze.

Haru was smiling.

Not the small, half smile that Makoto loved and had been hoping for, but a full smile that lit up his entire features, adding more colour to his flushed cheeks and shimmering eyes. Eyes that were literally shimmering he realised, spying the tears that threatening to fall with a spike of alarm even though Haru was still smiling. "H-Haru?" He didn't get a verbal response, at least not beyond a soft sound that sounded like it was halfway between a laugh and a sob, but Haru moved, launching himself at Makoto, scattering their other presents in the process and Makoto caught him. "Haru, if you don't…"

"It's perfect." Haru's voice was so soft that Makoto thought he might have imagined it for a moment, but when he looked down Haru was staring at him, eyes suspiciously red, and Makoto swallowed before smiling, reaching up to tenderly wipe away the tears threatening to fall, not caring that his own cheeks were suspiciously damp.

"It's a promise," he repeated unsteadily, overwhelmed. He had hoped that Haru would like, had convinced himself that he had got it all wrong…and been caught off guard by Haru's reaction, and he swallowed again before pulling back enough to be able to reach out and take the box from Haru's grasp, gently removing the ring and letting the box fall aside. "I don't want you to ever think I'm going anywhere without you," he murmured, remembering how Haru had clung to him and whispered 'I missed you' only a few days ago. "This," he took Haru's hand, sliding the ring into place and breathing a sigh of relief when it fitted perfectly. "Is a promise that I'm here to stay." _Forever,_ he wanted to say, but he knew that he couldn't promise that, but from the way Haru pressed against him, he knew that his boyfriend knew he meant and he pulled Haru back into another tight hug, pressing his lips to Haru's temple as he held him close.

_Forever._


End file.
